The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-19
THE LOVE OF BEAUTY.
Times.DemOcrnt.

1CsWOulu De impossible 10 eXagger- ate the importance of the part that beauty has played in the story of the human race. The sallow page of his- tory blossoms with it's triumphs, transforming the dull black and white into an illuminated text; while here and there, across the sheet, lies a deep stain of blood. We read how it has lost and saved souls; - sundered bRother from brother, and nation from nation ;-shaken the earth with the thunders of war; inspired the darkest crimes, as we'll as feats of skill and prowess almost superhuman in their daring lifted men from darkness into light, or dragged them down "as low as to the fiends."
 In one of his "Scenes de la Vie de Province" Balzac says that beauty ranks above all other gifts, because it needs merely to be seen to conquer, and we ask of it only that it shall ex- ist. To her who is beautiful much shall be forgiven. What is the testi- mony of Andrea Del Sarto's life and career? He adored his handsome, base minded Lucrezia; pardoning all her offenses and frailties, with an endless patience. To reward him, her vulgar greed turned his art into a day-la- borer; and, finally, she plundered and abandoned him, as he lay dying of the plague. Thus taught by the chronicle of the ages and the words of genius, we know how to value the sermons ot those who preach, in consolation or sourness of spirit, of the feeting na- ture of fair outside,-soon to be stripped away, as the winter wind strips the rose- leaves from the golden heart. Never has any human attribute provoked such wisdom in theory, or such folly in practice. So long as men continue, in savage fashion, to barter their treasures for little blue and rose and gold; and dimpled smile wins all that the arguments ot intellect, arranged in battle array, were powerless to gain, beauty cannot be held a trifling thing.
 In his ingenious work, "Romantic Love and Personal Beauty" MT. Finck announces, as the result of his studies and observations, that women care far less for beauty than do men, and that, in the selection of a life- partner, they are apt to consider physical strength rather than comeliness. This, says the author, is survival of the sentiment of barbarous days, when existence was continual skirmish, and the weaker sex stood in need of strong armed, stout hearted protectors.
 It is possible that such feeling may still be dimly at work somewhere in the intricate convolutions of the feminine brain; but the mere question of strength will not explain the incon- gruous unions that we are called upon to witness, in our everyday experi- ence. Why should beauty, tall and stately as young palm, link her fate : with that of the stunted and ill-fav- ored beast, who is not even enveloped in the golden glamour of wealth? In one of his diaries, Charles Reade makes the wondering comment that lovely woman of his acquaintance had mar ried "monster of ugliness," and, still more surprising, is madly in love with him. Speaking of the Iemale sex in general, and without reference to indi- viduals, it is to be questioned whether they possess that purely sensuous love of physical beauty which makes a beautiful face and form Ga joy for ever" to the beholder.
 Among the comparatively small class of feminine artists, it does exist, as matter of course; and although 1t may be urged that it is only recently they have gained the advantages of study enjoyed by men, from time im- memorial, it is significant fact that not one of them has, as yet, made her. self famous as portrayer of the hu- man form. It may be too early to de- eide this point; but thus far, like the Japanese artists, they have placed na- ture and the brute creation above man, in their artistic affections. It is a strange myth which says that the art sprang from the hand of a young girl, who, seeing her lover depart, fondly strove to trace his passing shadow on the wall. The old taunt that women have "the sense of fashion, but not the sense of beauty" proves nothing, in this connection, except that their training, from one generation to an- other, has been of | nature to keep them strictly within conventional bounds, md to make them dread in. guhrity or eoccntricity. Where fAsh- ion is concerned, they ssee tho best, and yst tho won't pursne ]" each wo- E mn 1eefing to be the only ono who kssffSSt r. tsr s7t EtlssT